55 OTU Hurricane incidents

**dennis_burke** · 18th January 2021, 15:10

Hello all, possible treat on the way but first to compile some details

I'm looking at Hurricane P3833 which I understand was forced down under A R Covington on Sep 15, 1940 with 238 Sqn.

Now, was it also damaged in a crash with 55 OTU, perhaps in 1942?

There is this ASN entry but I wonder is this correct, 96 Sqn ORB makes no mention of it.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=89063

**JohnE** · 18th January 2021, 15:29

Incident with 96 Squadron is mentioned in "The Turning Point 1" by John Foreman.

P3833 was delivered to 55 OTU on November 2nd 1941 by P/O Wyatt of 1 ADF and damaged in a ground accident on November 9th when it was hit by taxying V7666 (Sgt Brown).

It was damaged again on December 27th 1941 when Sgt Menzies force-landed in a field North of Usworth.

John Engelsted

**dennis_burke** · 18th January 2021, 15:32

Aha, excellent.

I guess then I have been sent a photo of the latter! A photo of the aircraft sitting in a field pranged!

I also seem to have a photo sent me of a burned out Hurricane P3718 which was hit by the overshooting P2795. Both aircraft visible in photo, no serials however.

So P3833 was damaged at least four times.
The database here suggests it was sent to the Far East,
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=P3833

**wwrsimon** · 18th January 2021, 15:42

Dennis

Is Lauder 78531 P/O Robert George LAUDER?

See: http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/09301.php

The link in one of the posts is http://www.surfmydot.com/96booklet/pages1-3.htm which is available via the web.archive.org website:

http://web.archive.org/web/200402071...t/pages1-3.htm

"The night of February 15th/16th saw two further crashes. PO Lauder dropped Hurricane P3833 while Sgt. Scott damaged Hurricane V7591 on landing. The likely cause for some of the crashes at Cranage was the poor weather."

Interestingly neither incident merits any mention in the ORB Form 540? Verity's accident on February 12th does, however, get mentioned.

Regards

Simon

**dennis_burke** · 19th January 2021, 10:31

Thanks Simon,

it is peculiar what one find and doesn't in ORB's at time, not withstanding the rules units were given.

There was also a photo of the crashed Hurricane V7158 of Sgt Dumville in 1941.